Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Hair Curling 101

I finally figured out how to curl my hair and get it to stay for hours and even days! A big thanks to Maegan from A Touch of Class who posted a wavy hair vlog tutorial. After watching her curl her own hair and imitating the technique several times, it finally clicked for me.


The technique consists of wrapping a piece of hair around the barrel, letting it sit for a for seconds, then pulling it down a bit more and repeating the steps until you reach the bottom of the strand. It's amazing how I am able to sleep on my hair and it still looks great the next day. AND I don't even use hair spray. If you need a tutorial, def watch Meagan's video!

Of course it wouldn't be a hair post if I didn't have a ridiculous pose thrown in! What the hell right?!

If you're having a What the Hell Wednesday moment, link up with my pal Christianna of The Girl With the Blue Bow. She's awesome so check out her blog!

Monday, February 27, 2012

Laughlin, Nevada

I'm back from vacation! I hope you enjoyed the guest posts from Meg of Henning Love, Kate of Nautical By Nature, and Kori of Blonde Episodes. If you haven't yet, go check out their amazing blogs.

To recap, I spent the weekend in Laughlin, Nevada celebrating my friend's little twin sisters' 21st birthdays. Make sense? Haha! I learned two things over the course of the past few days: how to finally play blackjack and that I am old and can't hang anymore! The first night we were out until 4:30 am and was impressed. Then the next night I pooped out around midnight.


If you have never been to Laughlin, let me explain this tiny town to you. It's located across the street from Arizona, and sits on the Colorado River. I grew up going there every summer with my family and going out on our boat to nearby Lake Mead, Mohave, and Havasu. Many people are out on the water all day, then stay at the casinos.

In Laughlin, there's a total of maybe eight casinos on a tiny strip...but they are not Vegas caliber casinos. They're a lot smaller and filled with much older people. The bars are dives and the "clubs" are the opposite of packed. Despite the randomness, it's a pretty good time if you're not looking for a high class weekend.


There's also an outlet mall with shops like Bath and Body Works and Quicksilver where I picked up some items for my trip to NOLA this spring. Because we're going to Jazzfest and it's going to be incredibly hot and humid, sweet Britt of The Magnolia Pair suggested I buy a big hat to shield me from sitting in the sun at a festival all day. So I finally settled on one from Roxy. I also snagged a pair of sunglasses that I'm in love with!


I hope you're all having a great week so far!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Orange Julius


Hi there! I'm Kori from Blonde Episodes. I was so honored and excited when Leeann asked me to fill in for her. I love her blog so much and have actually had a chance to hang out with her in person a few times, and she's so much fun!

I did a lot of shopping this past weekend and one color I noticed I kept coming back to was orange. It is definitely one of my favorite colors to wear, because it just pops. I found some gorgeous images to show the fun color and to share with you for my linkup for Fashion Friday. If you haven't linked up with me before, head over to Blonde Episodes and join in the fun!




All images courtesy of Pinterest



Thursday, February 23, 2012

Guest Post: Kate of Nautical By Nature

Hi, this is Kate from Nautical by Nature. I am excited to be posting for Leeann while she is on vacation! Leeann and I met almost exactly 2 years ago and she has quickly gone from blog friend to real life friend.

I decided to post about decorating your apartment (or house) on a budget for two reasons: (1) I am going to be moving in the next couple of months and have been looking at what I will change in my new place (and what I will keep) and (2) when Leeann visits my place she comments about all of the small details in my apartment that make it feel like a home. Here's how you can make your living space a home that reflects your own style. From my blog name you can guess what my style is all about! Remember this: you don't have to spend a ton of money to make your place feel like home!

Devote one weekend to going to garage/estate sales. When I first moved I decided what I would need to splurge on (a new bed and new TV) and what I wanted to save on (TV stand, ottoman, book shelves). I wrote down garage sales in each neighborhood and dragged my friend M with me (I like having a second opinion). Now if you love going to garage sales then you can make it more of a weekly or monthly thing.

I found the perfect ottoman for my living area (I always put my feet up when I sit on the couch/watch TV), a TV stand (rolling cart from Ikea) and my favorite find: this beachy, shabby chic little table/shelf

I use this as my bar in my dining area

I also got these bar stools at a garage sale. A steal!


Etsy will be your new best friend! Etsy is filled with homemade and handcrafted items-everything from decorations and stationery to clothing and jewelry. I think Etsy is the best place to find unique art/prints.

Here are examples of two sets of three prints I have on my walls (the beach prints are in my dining area, the city prints are in my bedroom)



Paris, DC (mine was a special edition with pink cherry blossoms), Los Angeles

Think outside of the box when it comes to framed art. I love framing cute shopping bags-cheap and cute!


I've also seen framed fabric samples, wrapping paper, baby clothes, and kids' artwork. Search on pinterest for do it yourself ideas (for example, frame a chalkboard and write new quotes each week)

Incorporate decals! Decals and stickers can make any space go from boring to chic. Personalize anything and everything with your monogram, name, favorite quote or phrase, animals, team logos and on and on! Decals are easy to put up and even easier to remove. Decals are essential if you are living somewhere that does not allow painting or hanging with nails (apartments, condos, dorm rooms, etc).
Etsy sellers I order from: Decal Monograms, ACJInspirations, Word Candy Vinyl




Seahorse and name decal from Decal Monograms. This bucket holds handtowels and washcloths.



cookie jar of cookie cutters

The HOLY TRINITY: Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Homegoods Even if it's a bit of a trek, you must go to one of these stores (all owned by same company). Homegoods is probably the best for, you guessed it, homegoods but most TX Maxx and Marshall stores have housewares too. I will often buy cheaper towels or storage boxes/bins at these stores and then spice them up with a monogram or decal. These are my go to stores for lamps, kitchen supplies (cooking utensils, plates, glasses, etc), picture frames, pillow, sheets, they have everything! You can find more of my posts about finds from these stores here


I love this star lamp!


"It's a Shore Thing" sign above my kitchen sink/window


whale storage baskets (I have multiple)

The small details are what makes the place come together. Remember that your home should reflect you!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Toast!

On Sunday I had the pleasure of going to brunch with two of my favorite bloggers - Kate of Nautical by Nature and Annemarie of Brunch at Saks. These lovely ladies and I met up at Los Angeles hotspot, Toast Bakery Cafe, for good food and company.

If the name sounds familiar, that may be because the cast of The Hills filmed at Toast, I believe, a few times. Aside from that claim to fame, the quaint eatery is located on a prime corner of Melrose Avenue and boasts an sizable outside eating area (a must for dining in LA) which draws in crowds. But don't be discouraged by the lines, they go by really quickly!



In addition to a glass of orange juice and my cup of coffee I ordered the most delicious breakfast I've had in quite some time, the Stuffed French Toast which comes smothered with caramelized bananas, banana pudding, powdered sugar, and walnuts. For me to say I loved this dish really means something because I do not like french toast or walnuts. I just felt that I needed to order a sweet treat for breakfast since Toast is a bakery cafe. So glad I did.


If you ever find yourself on Melrose Avenue, I highly suggest you stop by Toast for a meal!

Location:
8221 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, California 90048

____________________________________________________


I'm headed out of town for a few days but while I'm gone you can look forward to some great guest posts! Stop by and say hello to Meg of Henning Love on Wednesday, Kate of Nautical by Nature on Thursday, and Kori of Blonde Episodes Friday. All of these amazing ladies are my real life friends so I can vouch for their awesomeness :)

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Man Candy Monday: Alex O'Loughlin

Somehow amongst all of the Man Candy Monday posts I've neglected a serious hottie - Alex O'Loughlin. I literally had to double check that I hadn't yet featured him because I was almost certain I already had. Lucky for all of you, today is his day!


Source: fanpop.com via Leeann on Pinterest





Source: google.com via Leeann on Pinterest



Source: fanpop.com via Leeann on Pinterest



Name
Alexander O'Loughlin

Born
August 24, 1976

From
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Relationship Status
Dating professional surfer, Malia Jones

Interesting Facts
-His film career didn't start until 2004.
-Was a candidate for James Bond but the role went to Daniel Craig.
-His last name is pronounced "O-lock-lin".
-He lives in West Hollywood (I have yet to see him in person, darn it!).

Notable Roles
Hawaii Five-0
August Rush
The Shield



Want to play along? Join the blog hop! Grab my button, blog about your current celebrity crush, and add you link to the list. It's a lot of fun and a great way to make new friends :)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Let's Fly Away

My favorite thing to do is travel. If only I was wealthy enough to jet set around the world. I may not take the most extravagant trips or go to the most exotic places, but I do make an effort to explore one or two new locations a year. In fact, in a few months I'm headed to New Orleans for about a week. I'm looking forward to doing what I do best - being a huge tourist and seeing all that the city has to offer.

The only thing that I don't look forward to is the lengthy, stuffy plane ride. I can't control how long it takes me to get to my destination but I can ensure I'm comfortable during that flight. Jeans, sweaters, and big bags top my attire musts!
A Casual Look
What do you like to wear when traveling?

As usual I'm linking up with my favorite fashionistas, Kori of Blonde Episodes for Fashion Friday and AV of Long Distance Loving for Friday's Fancies. Link up and join the fun!


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Buying Prescription Glasses Online

How many of you wear glasses? I do!

And how many of you always want to stay stylish, and up to date with fashionable eyeglasses? That’s me!

Recently I discovered GlassesUSA.com and I’ve learned just how easy it is to find and buy glasses online. I have always been weary of purchasing anything online because of fit – whether it be glasses or clothes. But what I like about GlassesUSA.com is their Virtual Mirror which lets you upload a picture and “try on” eye wear.

This is a great way to see how the glasses frames will look on your face. I have a round, smallish face so I have a tough time finding the perfect pair of glasses. Most of the styles I like don’t look the best on me which makes me nervous when picking out glasses without a second opinion. That’s where you all come in! Here are a few of my top options. Which pair do you think I should choose?




In the market for a new pair of glasses yourself? GlassesUSA.com is offering my readers a few discounts!

*Take 20% off your entire order of $80 or more and get FREE US shipping with the code: FS20

*Take 10% off any order of prescription eyeglasses with the code: Blog10

Be sure to check out the President's Day Sale on the site which features glasses at 50% off. Happy shopping!



I was compensated for this post; however, my opinions states are completely my own.

Mmm Breakfast

Only a few more days left in the work week. Let's take a second to pause and celebrate! OK now that we've gotten that out of our systems, let's jump right into What the Hell Wednesday and Oh How Pinteresting Wednesday. My theme this week is breakfast and the fact that I need to take the time to actually eat and enjoy it on a regular basis. I mean, with all of the amazingly tasty options, why am I not waking up a few extra minutes early to indulge?!



Source: google.com via Leeann on Pinterest









Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!

Source: etsy.com via Leeann on Pinterest



Source: etsy.com via Leeann on Pinterest



Source: etsy.com via Leeann on Pinterest



Source: etsy.com via Leeann on Pinterest



Whether single or spoken for, I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day. Personally, I'll be celebrating a few things I love:

-eating something that's probably super unhealthy
-watching cheesy rom com movies
-cuddling up to this pup! (Look at those brows, I should be getting them waxed as a VDay gift to myself ha!)


Are you blogging about love today? If so, link up with my girl Kori of Blonde Episodes who is hosting a Valentine's Day Link Up!